Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2008 / ib / Paper 1 / 13C (Complex Analysis or Complex Methods)

Put $a=1/n$, so $0<a<1$, and write $I(a)={\int }_0^{\infty }{x}^a/(1+x^2)dx$. Choose the branch of the complex logarithm with $-\pi /2<\arg z<3\pi /2$, whose cut is the downward imaginary axis. Define $z^a=\exp (a\mathrm{Log}z)$ and integrate $z^a/(1+z^2)$ along the positively oriented upper semicircle, indented above zero. The straight pieces run from $-R$ to $-\epsilon$ and from $\epsilon$ to $R$; the small arc runs clockwise from argument $\pi$ to zero.

On the negative real axis $z^a=|z{|}^a{e}^{i\pi a}$, so the two straight pieces tend to $(1+e^{i\pi a})I(a)$. The outer arc is $O(R^{a-1})$ and the inner arc is $O({\epsilon }^{a+1})$, both tending to zero. The only enclosed pole is $i$, with residue $e^{i\pi a/2}/(2i)$. The residue theorem therefore givesUsing $1+e^{i\pi a}=2e^{i\pi a/2}\cos (\pi a/2)$ yieldsThe same bounds show convergence of the real integral at both zero and infinity.

Use the same indented upper-semicircle contour and branch of the complex logarithm, now for $F(z)=z^{1/2}\mathrm{Log}z/(1+z^2)$. Write $J={\int }_0^{\infty }{x}^{1/2}\log x/(1+x^2)dx$. On the negative axis, $z^{1/2}=i|z{|}^{1/2}$ and $\mathrm{Log}z=\log |z|+i\pi$. Consequently the two straight contributions tend toThe outer arc is $O(R^{-1/2}\log R)$ and the small arc is $O({\epsilon }^{3/2}(|\log \epsilon |+1))$, so neither contributes in the limit. At the enclosed pole $i$,The residue theorem gives $(1+i)J-\pi I(1/2)=i{\pi }^2{e}^{i\pi /4}/2$. Part (a) gives $I(1/2)=\pi /\sqrt{2}$. Substituting and using $e^{i\pi /4}=(1+i)/\sqrt{2}$, the right side after moving the $I$ term is ${\pi }^2(1+i)/(2\sqrt{2})$. Hence